Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-09-08

Public School and the Library" The
following abstract conveys a fair idea
OF the line of argument adhered to:
There are more than 5000 public
libraries in the United States VITA over
20,O0O,000 volumes What relation
should subsist between these and the
public schools? They are mutually
dependent on each other, and should
supplement- each other. The school
teachers should take pains to awaken
desire for reading books. suggest what
books to read, and give hints as to
methods of reading. They should
make frequent visits to the public IL
brary with their pupils, read to their
students portions of Interesting books.
listen to reports of their reading, and
assign topics requiring examination
OF books to be found in the public IL
brary. The library should be sup
piled with duplicates or sets of such
books as the schools can use. Refer
ence lists should be made out for the
use OF pupils from the public schools
who have topics to investigate or es-
says to write. Every public library
should have its pedagogical alcoye.
into which should be gathered the best
educational literature. Thus working
together toward a common end-pub-
lie cultTe-the public school and the
public library may help each other.
and together secure what is utterly
unattainable BY either working alone.
OUR COLLEGES BEHIND THE TIMES.
We live in ar age of unparalleled
passion, pulse and power"-an age
with gigantic problems suddenlyla id
on it; our civilization is chiefly indus
trial, and the railway, the factory.
and labor organizations are the
largest elements of our social life.
Would any one believe a priori that
under these circumstances our col
leges would be still ha@9ling over thr
Greek and Latin question, and tjeIt
only one of them in the entire country
should give instruction on raiiuay
transportation, the most important
subject now before tie public, and the
one also on which there is such vast
ignorance? This, however. is ONLY one
instance of the disgusting narrowness
of the PROFESSIONAL intellect as "stimu-
lated" by endowments. Everywhere
we find total want of connection be-
tween the colleges -cspecially those
old and rich-and the life of the peo-
pie. Go into university library,
and, after listening to the complaints
of the librarian about the paltrv sums
at his disposal, you viii find splendid
and expensive editions of Percy's RE
liques," SCOTS Dryden" hundreds
OF volumes of pedantic discussion
about Shakespeare, and you will look
in vain probably for the great news
papers which so faithfully reflect the
nations life; and ''Bradstreets," The
Railroad Gazette and frequently
even 1.-The Century," ''Harpers,''
The Forum" and The Popular Sci
ence Monthly" will also be wanting.
Recent American literature is treated
with similar disdain. The want of di-
rect responsibility to the public is felt
in all directions. When railway cor
poratiOn discovers that man is in
COMPETENT, it discharges him; a news
paper takes care not to retainSpoor
writer's. But no incapacity is so yreat
that a college position, once Q. med,
need be lost. Go through any of our
great institutions, and you will find
that year after year the sane COM
plants have been made by students
their instructors. These
have produced no effect, because the
stimulus of duty not re-enforced by
interest is not sufficient. 1t is disa-
greeable thing to discharge man,
and it is not done when the authorities
have no personal interest in the mat
ter. Thus college professOrships in
this country come to Il pass shown fire.
Quently in the 'liyinoS" of the Eng
fish Church-merc sinecure., involy-
ing little labor, much reward, and
great security for dullness and inca
pacity. Charles S. ashley, IN Popular
Science MOnthly.